“There must be a lot of the buggers,” DJ said grimly.

“Two or three per pickup, four to six per car, and two to twelve or more in each van if there are people in the back,” Victor calculated. “There could be anywhere from sixteen to forty or more people in the six vehicles.”

“Stella said Abaddon had thirty or forty people that he’d turned when she was with them,” Allie told them anxiously, and then added, “But that was four years ago. There could be more now.”

“And we have what?” DJ glanced around. “Five hunters?”

“Hello,” Drina said with annoyance. “I think you’re forgetting that Katricia and I are hunters too.”

“And Stephanie’s a hunter in training,” Elvi said proudly.

“And I used to be a mercenary,” Harper said with dignity. “I can handle myself.”

“I was a soldier and can handle myself too,” Teddy said firmly as he and Katricia hurried to join them. “Time to go, people. Tybo, check to be sure the coast is clear and then we move quickly.”

Allie turned back as Tybo opened the door, waited as he peered around, and then Tybo started forward, pulling her, Magnus, and Liam behind him in a chain. Elvi, Victor, and Sunita made up the next link in the chain, the pair ushering their daughter between them, with Mabel, DJ, and Gracie following doing the same. Teddy, Katricia, and Teddy Jr. were the last link with Stephanie, Drina, and Harper moving to one side of the group while Dani and Decker took the other, flanking the families.

They moved swiftly and silently, the groups breaking up to go to different vehicles.

Allie had no idea who rode where except that Tybo, Decker, Dani, and Stephanie joined them in their SUV, Tybo taking the wheel and Decker in the front passenger seat. Magnus ushered her into the back seat, set Liam in her lap, and then climbed in beside her even as Dani slid in on her other side, while Stephanie opened the back door and climbed into the cargo area.

The last door had closed and Tybo was starting the engine when his phone rang. He pulled it out at once and then listened briefly. Grunting approval a moment later, he dropped the phone back in his suit jacket and announced, “Teddy wants us to stick together and avoid the main road. Back roads only. He’s going to lead the way.”

Both Magnus and Decker grunted in what Allie guessed was approval as Tybo put the vehicle in gear and steered up behind the police SUV moving toward the exit to the road. A tense silence then filled the vehicle as Teddy led them away from the restaurant. Allie didn’t relax until they were following the police cruiser into the driveway at Casey Cottage several moments later. Apparently, she was the only one who had thought they were safe now, however. At least, that was the conclusion she came to when Magnus took her arm in a firm grip, but didn’t immediately open the door, instead waiting until Decker and Tybo turned in the front to peer back at them.